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Christmas Recycling Crafts
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Christmas Recycling Crafts is a free printable creative sheet for children. It is a guide to turning the leftovers of Christmas into something new, so cards, paper and packaging get a second life instead of going straight in the bin. Children need only a few bits and pieces from around the house.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
This is a making sheet rather than a question sheet. Children read the guide, look at what they have left over after Christmas, and decide what they could make from it. The sheet starts them thinking about reuse and gives them the push to try. There are no right answers, only ideas to test, change and make their own.
Things to gather before you start
A tray of leftovers
Collect clean, dry items that would otherwise be thrown away. Think of cards, wrapping paper, cardboard tubes, boxes and ribbon. Put them on a tray so your child can see everything at once.
Basic tools
Safe scissors, a glue stick, child safe glue, sticky tape, pencils and felt tips are plenty. Cover the table with newspaper or an old cloth to keep clearing up quick.
A sorting habit
Ask your child to sort the leftovers by material or colour before they begin. Sorting helps them spot what each piece could become.
A place to show the results
Pick a shelf, window or string across a wall for the finished pieces. Knowing there is a place to display work gives the making a purpose.
Why reuse at Christmas?
Christmas brings a lot of paper, card and packaging into the home in a short time. Much of it is still in good condition when the presents are open. Reusing it is a simple way to talk about waste with children, because they can see the pile and decide what to do with it. Small choices at home add up.
Reuse and recycling are not quite the same. Recycling breaks a material down so it can be made into something new. Reuse means using the item again, often in a new way, with little change. Crafting with leftovers is reuse. It also helps children see that an object can have more than one job.
Adults should do any cutting of thick card, any use of craft knives and any use of hot glue. Keep real candles, lit tea lights and fairy light plugs out of children's craft projects. Check that small beads and buttons are kept away from younger children, who may put them in their mouths.
Recycling facts for curious children
- Paper is made from plant fibres, and paper can often be recycled more than once.
- Reuse means using something again. Recycling means breaking it down to make something new.
- Rules for recycling differ between councils in England, so it is worth checking what your local council collects.
- Wrapping paper with glitter or foil is often not accepted in home recycling, so reusing it in a craft can be a good choice.
Skills and curriculum link
- Creativity
- Reusing materials
- Planning and making
- Fine motor control
- Evaluating a design
- Following a guide
Ways to help your child get started
- Start with the materialHold up one leftover item and ask, "What could this become?" Starting from the material, not a fixed plan, often leads to more original ideas.
- Choose one ideaChildren can feel overwhelmed by choice. Let them pick one idea from the guide or from their own head and try it before moving on.
- Make a quick sketchA rough drawing helps children think about shape, size and which pieces to use. It does not need to be neat.
- Look back at the endAsk what worked well and what they would change. Looking back is part of the making, and it is how ideas improve.
Key words
- RecycleTo break a used material down so it can be made into something new.
- ReuseTo use something again, often in a new way.
- WasteThings we no longer want and throw away.
- MaterialWhat something is made from, such as paper, card or fabric.
- DesignTo plan how something will look and work before you make it.
- DecorateTo make something look nicer by adding colour or shapes.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has notes for the grown up, help ideas and a stretch task.
- Read the guide together and look at what leftovers you have at home. Ask your child what they notice.
- Let your child choose an idea and plan it. A quick sketch or a spoken plan both work.
- Make it. Adults do any cutting of thick card and any hot glue. Children can tear, fold, stick and decorate.
- Show the finished piece and talk about it. Ask what they used, what was tricky and what they might do differently next time.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Choose one material and one simple idea. A card cut into a shape can become a gift tag or a bookmark. Let an adult do the hard cutting, and let the child colour, stick and decorate. Finish one small piece first.
To stretch confident children
Make a set of matching pieces, such as a small collection for a tree, a table or a window. Plan the colours first. Then write a short label that tells a visitor which leftovers each piece was made from.
Make it a game
Play the Mystery Bag game. One player puts three leftover items in a bag. The other draws them out and has two minutes to plan a craft using all three. Swap roles and share your ideas.
Talk about it
- What do we usually do with wrapping paper after Christmas, and what else could we do?
- Which of these leftovers looks the most interesting to you, and why?
- What is the difference between reusing something and recycling it?
- How could we make this stronger so it lasts longer?
- Who could we give this to, and why would they like it?
- What would you do differently if you made it again?
Take it off the page
Leftover sorting
Sort a box of clean leftovers into groups, such as paper, card and fabric. Talk about which group you could use for each kind of craft.
Shape hunt
Look at the shapes you can cut from old cards and paper. Find circles, stars and rectangles, and arrange them into a picture on a plain sheet.
Gift tag swap
Make small tags from old cards. Write a kind message on each one. Swap tags with family or friends to use next year.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child to start, then step back and let them lead. Keep the pace relaxed. A small finished piece is worth more than a large one left half done. You handle the cutting of thick card and any hot glue.
Teachers
Use it in the last week of the autumn term, as an art and design or design and technology task, or as a wet play activity. It links to designing, making and evaluating with a range of materials. Ask pupils to bring in clean leftovers.
Home educators
The open ended format suits mixed ages. Younger children can tear and stick while older ones plan and evaluate. It can sit alongside work on materials, sustainability or writing instructions for how a piece was made.
Where this fits in
Before this sheet, children are usually exploring materials and how they feel, bend, fold and join. They practise using scissors, glue and tape, and they begin to talk about what they like in a finished piece.
After it, children can move on to more planned design work. They can choose materials for a purpose, draw a plan, make a prototype and then improve it. The same thinking works for other projects at home or school.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- Is this sheet free to print?
Yes. It is a free printable from the Mini Minds Hub by Jaques of London. Print as many copies as you need for home or the classroom. Black and white printing works well.
- What age is Christmas Recycling Crafts for?
It suits primary age children. Younger children will need a grown up to cut and help with ideas, while older children can plan, make and improve their work with less help.
- How long does it take?
There is no set time. It depends on the idea your child picks and how much they want to decorate. Small pieces can be quick, and bigger ones can be spread over more than one sitting.
- What materials do we need?
Clean leftovers such as cards, paper, card and ribbon, plus safe scissors, glue and pens. You do not need to buy anything special. Use what you already have at home.
- Is it safe for children to do alone?
Children can tear, stick and decorate, but an adult should do any cutting of thick card and any hot glue. Keep small items away from younger children. Stay nearby while they work.
- Can I use this in a classroom?
Yes. It works well as an end of term art or design and technology activity. It supports the strands of designing, making and evaluating with a range of materials. Ask pupils to bring clean leftovers.
- Does page 2 have answers?
No. This is a making sheet, so there are no set answers. Page 2 gives you notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.